Ballast discharging car



March 10, 1953 G. B. DOREY BALLAST DISCHARGING CAR 4 Sheets$heet 1 Filed March 9, 1949 March 10, 1953 G. B. DC REY 2,630,767

BALLAST DISCHARGING CAR Filed March 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 G 5/ Ha 3 nwa/vrof? GEORGE B4 DORE) 7 H15 ATTOR EY March 10, 1953 G. B. DOREY BALLAST DISCHARGING CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 9, 1949 March 10, 1953 e. B. DOREY 2,630,767

BALLAST DISCHARGING CAR Filed March 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NVEN7'0R GEORGE B DORE Patented Mar. 10, 1953 BALLAST DISCHARGING CAR George B. Dorey, Westmont, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March; 9, 1949, Serial No. 80,473

11 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in ballast discharging cars.

A main object of the invention is to providean improved car of the type having V-shaped hoppers on each side of the center sill and arranged for discharging the contents of the car either centrally of the rails or to the side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hopper structure wherein longitudinally sloping floors in co-operation with trans-'- versely sloping floor sections provide a self-contained structure extending below the center sills to form the ends of a V-shaped hopper structure.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved framing structure bordering the sides and ends of a discharge hopper having V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a cradle-like supporting structure for uniting and supporting a pair of frames disposed in transversely alined relation on oppositesides of the center sill.

My invention further resides in the improved structure wherein longitudinally and transversely extending sloping floors combine with a frame structure to provide a load containing hopper having large carrying capacity.

For further comprehension of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawin s wherein: f

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the lower portion of a hopper embodying my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. '1 and showing the end portion of the framing structure incorporated in my improved construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a pair of transversely alined hoppers embodying my improved structure, the lower half of the figure showing the construction with the doors and flooring omitted.

Fig. 4 is a vertical elevational view of the lower portion of a hopper showing my improved construction, the left portion of the figure being a section corresponding to a line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevational end view of the hopper frame structure. v

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the hopper frame structure.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fractional vertical trans-' verse sectional view taken through the car and on a line 1-1 of Fig. 4 and'showing the idler sheave and associated parts.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through the side discharging door and on a line 8-8 'of Fig. 4.

In said drawings I have indicated the rails l0-l0 in order to indicate the relation between the doors of a car having my improvements and the rails on which the car is mounted. The wheels are indicated at H and the construction of the car proper is shown as including side walls I2-|2 and a centrally disposed center sill formed of two flanged members I3-I3 each having a vertical web [4, an inwardly directed upper wall [5 and a lower marginal flange I6 extending laterally outwardly from the web.

The lower margin of each side wall 12 is reinforced by an angle shaped member I! and interposed between each side wall and the center sill are longitudinally extending V-shaped hop.- pers having a lower section formed of a pair of doors Iii-I8 hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper on a longitudinally extending rod 19. The said doors when in closed position incline upwardly from the apex of the hopper in order to provide a load shedding plane to render the car self-discharging to either side of the apex.

The V-shaped hopper formed by the pair of doors I8 is spaced appreciably below the level of the center sill and the space is bridged by a foursided'frame structure 20, Figs. 5 and 6, which includes inner and outer longitudinally extending members indicated at 2| and 22 respectively and end members 23 extending between said longitudinal members 2| and 22 and connected therewith preferably by welding as at 24. Said end members 23 are shaped to provide a saddle like depression 25 and conform substantially to the shape of the V hopper. Each member 23 is preferably of angle shape with one flange 26 depending vertically and lying substantially normal to the main plane of the doors. The adjacent flange 2'! is disposed substantially parallel to the main plane of the doors when in closed position and secured in the depressed portion of the flange 21 is a bracket 28 whereby the pair of transversely alinedframe structures are secured to a transversely extending beam member 29, Fig. 2, which extends across the plane of the center sill beneath the latter.

The inner longitudinal frame member 2| is an angle shaped member having one flange 30 resting upon the outstanding flange l6 of the center sill and having the other flange 3i projecting downwardly below the level of the center sill and having the edge thereof forming an abutment for the adjacent inner door [8. V

As shown in Figure 8, th'e'outer longitudinal frame member 22 is in the form of an angle bulb member havingon e flange 32 formed with a bulb portion 33 which constitutes an abutment for the adjacent outer door 18 when the latter is in closed position. The flange 32 is disposed substantially normal to the adjacent door [8 and the adjacent flange 34 underlies and supports a sloping floor 35 which extends downwardly from the side wall.

The outer frame member 22 is supported substantially midway of itsends by a gusset member 36, Fig. 1, which in turn is secured to a transversely extending crosstie member 31'. Said member 37 rests upon the center sill and extends entirely across the car and connects with the respective side Walls by means of stakes 38 which preferably consist of bulb angles riveted to the gusset members 35 at 39.

The frame members 28 are thus supported at each end and throughout the entire length of the inner longitudinal member 2| and midway of the outer longitudinal member 22.

Adjacent to and outwardly of the center sill there are disposed shedding floor plates 40 which include an inclined section 2| and upper and lower vertical sections 42 and 43, the former being secured to the center sill web l4 and the latter to the downwardly projecting flange 3| of the member 2 l.

outwardly beyond each end of the frame member 20, the car is formed with a hopper section including a longitudinally sloping end wall 44, Fig. 3, and triangular shaped transversely sloping inher and outer side wall sections indicated at 45 and 48 respectively. Said respective end and side walls merge into each other forming a self-contained trough shaped structure which. is extended downwardly below the level of the center sill and below the level of the frame and the said end wall 44 is flanged downwardly at 47, Fig. 1, to overlie and connect with the vertical flange 2B of the end frame member 23. The sides of the transversely sloping floor sections 45 and 46 are also flanged downwardly as at 48 and 49 and connect with the flange 26. The flanges of the end floor and side floor sections are thus disposed in transverse alinement and provide a rigid support for the hopper structure. The end flange 41 is of appreciable length to prevent arching of the lading. Thetransversely extending end beam member 29 is flanged at 50, Figs. 1 and 3, to underlie the longitudinally sloping end floors and a gusset 51 at each end of the beam makes connection with the said beam at 52 and with the side of the car by means of an angle 53, said angle being disposed beneath the outer transversely sloping floor to support the same. The side sloping floors are further supported by extending the outer frame members 22 appreciably beyond the ends of the end framing members 23 as indicated at 55.

The members 29 are sup-ported from the center sill by flanged brackets 55, Fig. 1, and said members 29 in combination with. the side gussets thus provide a rigid cradle-like frame at each end of the hopper for receiving and supporting the trough shaped end hopper.

The doors [3,. Fig, 8, are formed of plates 56 flanged downwardly at the outer margin at 51 and are reinforced lengthwise of the doors by Z-shaped beams 58. The hinging of the doors is accomplished by a series of looped plates 59 which provide a continuous hinge throughout the length of the door. The doors are extended lengthwise at each end of the opening beyond the depending flange 28 of the frame end members 23 and an angle shaped member 69, Fig. 4, extends along the upper surface of the door to lie between the beam 29 and the depending flange 28 (of the end frame member 23 and operates as an upwardly extending wall to prevent leakage at the end of the hopper.

The doors are raised and lowered through the medium of shaft and chains, the operation of each sidedoor being independently effected for each door by a "shaft 6! journalled in bearings 62 carried by the gusset plates 5!. The oppositely facing doors of the pair of transversely alined doors are operated in unison by a shaft 63 preferably located between the center sill members. Flexible connections. such as chains, extend between the shaft and doors as indicated at 64 for the side doors and 65 for the center doors. Said connections are disposed at the ends of the doors in the space intermediate the transverse beam member 29 and the depending flange 26 of the end angle member 23 of the frame 26. The connections 64 wind on sheaves 6 6 and operate to directly support the door whereas the connections 65 for the center doors extend through the center sill webs around idlers 6'! which in turn are supported on brackets 68.

Said brackets 68 are located beneath the inner transversely sloping floor sections and are riveted or otherwise secured to the center sill webs. Each said bracket includes a pair of vertical walls 69-459, Fig. 3, extending outwardly from a base portion Hi which overlies the center sill web. Above the idler 61 the pair of walls Bil-69 are united by an integrally formed shroud section 68' which operates as a guide and protection for the flexible connection 65. The idler is mounted on a pivot H which in turn is supported by the walls 6969 and the outer of said walls is provided with a trunnion 12 of extended length which receives a securing rivet 13 for retaining the pivot H in position.

The means for operating the winding shafts are not shown but this may be effected by any convenient means at the sides of the car and preferably through worm and gear arrangement and cross shafts.

In order to provide ample space for housing the idler sheaves 61 and associated supporting brackets 68 the inner transversely sloping floor sections. 45 extend at a comparatively steep angle from the upper part of the center sill, said floor plates being bent to form a flange 14, Fig. '7, resting on the center sill.

The center sill is capped with an inverted V-shaped ridge 15, Fig. 1, which is divided at the crosstie 31 and secured thereto through the medium of flanges T6. The sides of the ridge are extended downwardly to overlie the end floor sections 45 and the vertical section 42 of the shedding plates as indicated at 11 and 1'8 respectively. Apertures 79, Fig. 6, are provided in the end frame members 23 for the accommodation of the flexible connections 65 therethrough.

My improved structure as will be apparent provides a rigid strong construction which allows the placement of the hoppers at a low level in the car body thus providing large carrying capacity while requiring only comparatively short lengths of door openings. The location of the doors below the level of the center sill is of advantage in the placement of ballast from a moving car inasmuch as the downwardly projecting portion of the frame 20 adjacent the center sill acts as a baiile to restrict the free flow of lading until such time as the doors have been appreciably opened. Such restriction of lading has heretofore been effected by, the employment of auxiliary baffles located outwardly beyond the path of movement of the doors and my improved structure contemplates the incorporation of such bafliing means directly into the car construction as part of the frame 20.

1. In a railway car having side Walls and a longitudinally extending center sill centrally disposed between said side walls and having a lower outstanding marginal flange on each side thereof, and longitudinally extending discharge openings on the opposite sides of the center sill; hopper sections on each side of the center sill, each said hopper section including an inclined stationary upper wall portion lying in the plane of and adjacent to the center sill and having a wall portion projecting downwardly below the level of the center sill with its lower edge parallel thereto for the full length of said discharge opening and a lower section including hinged doors arranged to assume an upwardly inclined position to abut the respective downwardly projecting wall, said downwardly projecting wall including an angle shaped member having one flange resting upon the center sill flange and having the adjacent flange downwardly disposed to form an abutting wall for the inclined door.

2. In a railway hopper car including a center sill and side walls; V-shaped hoppers on each side of the center sill disposed in transversely alined relation below the level of said sill, each said hopper including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper for discharging either to the center or sides of the car, longitudinally extending sloping floors extending below the level of the center sill for directing lading to the V-shaped hoppers, beam members extending transversely of the car beneath the center sill-and underlying said respective longitudinally extending floors and secured thereto, and a four-sided unit frame structure bordering the margins of the discharge opening and secured to said respective transversely extending beam members, said frame structure having end members of angle shape disposed with one flange extending downwardly, said end members being saddle shaped conforming substantially to the shape of the V-shaped hopper.

3. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls; a hopper on each side of the center sill having a discharge opening and including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper for discharging lading either to the center or to the sides thereof, sloping floors for directing lading to the V-shaped hoppers, said floors including end floors sloping longitudinally of. the car and sidefloor sections sloping transversely of the car from the side walls and center sill respectively and meeting with said end floors to form a trough like structur extending below'the level of the center sill, beam members extending transversely of the car beneath the center sill and underlying the sloping end floors on the respective sides of the center sill and secured thereto, and a four-sided unit frame structure bordering the discharge opening, said structure including end members of angle shape having a substantially horizontally extending flange united with the transverse beam members and having the adjacent flange extending downwardly to lie substantially normal to the main plane of the doors 4. In a railway hopper car including side walls and a centrally disposed center sill and longitudinally extending hoppers intermediate the side walls and center sills disposed in transversely alined relation on the opposite sides of the center sill, each said hopper having V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the lower margin of the hopper; in combination, a four-sided unit frame including longitudinal and transverse members of angular shape, said longitudinal members being disposed with one flange arranged to present an edge portion against which the doors are arranged to abut when in closed position, and saidtransverse members of the frame being V shape to conform substantially to the shape of the V-arranged doors in closed position.

5. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls; a V-shaped discharge hopper on each side of the center sill including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper for directing lading either to the center of the car or to the sides thereof, sloping floor for directing lading to the V hoppers, said floors including longitudinally sloping end floors and side floor sec-. tions sloping transversely of the car from the side walls and the center sill respectively and meeting with said longitudinally sloping floors to define a trough like sloping structure extending below the level of the center sill, said respective end and side floors having their lower margins deflected downwardly to present transversely extending depending wall sections, and a unit frame member extending transversely of the car and secured to said respective depending wall of the floor sections.

6. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls; a V-shaped discharge hopper on each side of the center sill including a discharge opening and V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper for closing the opening and discharging lading either towards the longitudinal center of the car or to the sides thereof, sloping floors for directing lading to the V hoppers, said floors including longitudinally sloping end floors and sloping side floor sections extending transversely of the car and meeting to present a trough shaped end sloping downwardly towards the apex of the V hoppers of inverted pyramidal form and extending below the level of the center sill, said respective end and side walls having downturned lower margins to present transversely extending depending wall portions, and a four-sided unit frame member defining the margins of the discharge opening, said frame member having depending walls at each end connecting with said depending wall portions of the end and side sloping floor sections.

7. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls; a V-shaped hopper on each side of the center sill having a, discharge opening and including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper for discharging lading either to the'cente'r or to the'sides thereof, sloping floors for directing lading to the V -shaped hoppers, said floors including end floors sloping longitudinally of the car and side floor sections sloping transversely of the car from the side walls and center sill respectively and meeting with said end floors to form a trough like hopper end structure extending below the level of the center sill, a beam member extending transversely across the plane of the center sill and underlying the respective end floors on the opposite sides of the center sill, a four-sided unit frame member bordering the discharge opening and disposed between and secured to the respective transverse beam members at each end of the hopper, said end members of the frame being of angle shape with one flange spaced away from the transverse beam member and extending downwardly and having the adjacent flange disposed substantially parallel with the body of the doors when the latter .are in closed position, operating shafts for the doors lying outwardly of the doors and winding connections between the doors and shafts, said connections being disposed in the space between the transversely extending beam members and the downwardly extending end walls of the frame.

8. In a load discharging car having a center sill including an outstanding marginal flange, a longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped hopper including doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper, one of said doors extending from its hinging axis toward the center sill, said door when in closed position having its swinging edge spaced appreciably below the center sill, and an angle member having one flange engaging and secured to the outstanding flange of the center sill and having its adjacent flange extending downwardly to form a wall element bridging the distance between the door and the center sill.

9. In a railway car including side wall and a center sill centrally disposed between said walls; longitudinally extending discharge hoppers on opposite sides of the center sill disposed in transversely alined relation, said hoppers having V- arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of the hopper, and a four-sided unit frame structure bordering the discharge opening, said frame structure including side and end members of angular shape disposed with one flange depending downwardly to form part of a load containing hopper above the level of the doors and presenting abutments against which the doors are adapted to abut when in closed position as part of a V-shaped hopper.

10. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls, in combination, a V-shaped discharge hopper on each side of said center sill in transversely aligned relation with one another including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent the apex of each hopper for directing lading either to the center of the car or to the sides thereof, sloping floors for directing lading to said V- shaped hoppers, said floors includin longitudinally sloping end floors and transversely sloping side floors, said floors meeting to form a trough-like structure extending below the center sill level, means for supporting said troughlike structures including a beam at each end of each hopper extending transversely across said center sill and underlying said longitudinally sloping end floors of said transversely aligned hoppers on their respective sides of said center sill, said sloping end floors extending lengthwise beyond their respective beam members toward the hopper openings to provide overhanging portions lying beyond said beam members, and supplementary supporting members extending transversely beneath said overhanging portions of said sloping end floors, said supplementary supporting members being of inverted saddle shape to extend beneath said end and side sloping floors definin said trough shaped structures and lying in the angle presented by said V-shaped hoppers.

11. In a railway car including side walls and a center sill centrally disposed between said side walls, in combination, a V-shaped discharge hopper on each side of said center sill in transversely aligned relation with one another including V-arranged doors hinged adjacent th apex of each hopper for directing lading either to the center of the car or to the sides thereof, sloping floors for directing lading to said V-shaped hoppers, said floors including longitudinally sloping end floors and transversely sloping side floors, said floors meeting to form a trough-like structure extending below the center sill level, means for supporting said trough-like structures including a beam at each end of each hopper extending transversely across said center sill and underlying said longitudinally sloping end floors of said transversely aligned hoppers on their respective sides of said center sill, said slopin end floors extending lengthwise beyond their respective beam members toward the hopper openings to provide overhanging portions lying beyond said beam members, and supplementary supporting members extending transversely beneath said overhanging portions of said sloping end floors, said supplementary supporting members being of inverted saddle shape to extend beneath said end and side sloping floors defining said troughshaped structure and lying in the angle presented by said V-shaped hoppers, said supplementary members being of angle shape with one flange extending downwardly and spaced away from the adjacent beam member, and said respective side and end walls of the related trough shaped structure having downturned flanges overlying and secured to the downwardly extending flange of the respective supplementary member.

GEORGE B. DOREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,625,089 Morey Apr. 19, 1927 1,635,251 Campbell July 12, 1927 1,853,673 Dorey no--- Apr. 12, 1932 2,042,151 Hallquist et a1 May 26, 1936 2,150,418 Campbell Mar. 14, 1939 2,271,464 Reynolds et al. Jan. 27, 1942 

